1. Technical Field
The following description relates to one or more techniques for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and a transfer device, a process unit, and a bearing provided in the image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus has been known that has a transfer device including an image carrying body configured to carry a developer image and a transfer member configured to electrically transfer the developer image carried on the image carrying body onto a recording medium.
As one of examples of the transfer device, a transfer device has been known that includes an intermediate transfer belt as the image carrying body, a transfer roller as the transfer member, and an opposed roller. The transfer roller, which is electrically conductive, is pressed against and in contact with the intermediate transfer belt. The opposed roller is opposed to the transfer roller across the intermediate transfer belt.
In the known transfer device, a rotational shaft of the transfer roller is borne by an electrically conductive rolling bearing. Further, the rolling bearing is supported by an insulating slider that is movable in a direction along which the opposed roller is opposed to the transfer roller. Thereby, the rotational shaft of the transfer roller is supplied with a transfer bias via the rolling bearing. In addition, the slider prevents discharge of the transfer bias between the transfer roller and the opposed roller.